1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to wall decorations. In particular, the present invention relates to lightweight soft sculptures adapted to be removably affixed to walls.
2. Description of Related Art
Children's rooms, particularly those occupied by infants, are desirably decorated in bright colors and playful motifs. The decorations are important because during the first five months of life, an infant learns about her environment almost entirely through vision. As the child grows older, the focus of the decorating shifts to entertaining and comforting the child by portraying a positive and caring environment. Moreover, varying the surrounding environment and decor of a room fosters the intellectual stimulation of children of all ages. Accordingly, it is preferable to decorate a child's room such that the furnishings and decorations can be frequently moved and repositioned without damaging or marring the floors, ceilings and walls.
It is well known that the decor of a room can be physically altered in various fashions. For instance, the furniture can be rearranged or the color scheme of the walls altered through painting or papering. Using decorations, such as, for example, pictures, appliques, ornaments, and the like, some of which may mount on the wall can also change the deor of the room. The decorations are typically two-dimensional and shaped or configured to correspond to a desired decorative scheme. These decorations are typically relatively heavy and require a permanent-mounting element. Specifically, when mounting such decorations, nails and pushpins are commonly utilized. These fasteners necessarily leave behind tell-tail holes once removed. These holes eventually necessitate expensive and burdensome patching. Thus, a major draw back to securely hanging heavy wall decorations is the requirement to pierce the skin of the wall with a mechanical fastener.
Additionally, some of the two-dimensional wall ornaments are designed to be stacked to form a sort of three-dimensional appearance. These sometimes involve smaller component pieces that are layered onto larger background components. While certainly appropriate for older children, these smaller pieces are not recommended for use with infants and toddlers. Additionally, many of the two-dimensional wall ornaments are thin and create a risk of cuts and torn pieces. The torn pieces can create a choking-hazard to infants and toddlers.
In some instances, three-dimensional wall ornaments have been utilized to decorate a generally planar wall surface. The three-dimensional effect creates a desirable and exciting new visual effect on an otherwise ordinary wall. Infants can appreciate the contrast in color between such a wall ornament and the typically bland background color utilized in most modern houses. Additionally, the infants appreciate the varied degrees of projection provided by the three-dimensional relief attributes. Older children marvel at the three-dimensional figure embellishing their wall and often involve such a figure in their activities though "pretending" without actually touching or moving the figure.
While the three-dimensional structure is desired, the extent of structural relief can also become a problem when dealing with infants and older children. The wall hangings are typically found on walls either above or proximate a playpen or crib of an infant or toddler. Too much relief can result in an unsafe amount of weight being cantilevered from the wall such that the ornament is often secured in a semi-permanent or permanent fashion to reduce the risk of the ornament crashing downward under its own weight. Additionally, too much relief can result is a surreal physical appearance of the sculpture of the casting of severe shadows by the sculpture due to localized light sources. These problems are illustrated by the mounting of a half of a stuffed animal on the wall. The unnatural appearance and harsh shadows can frighten infants and toddlers in the absence of a caring and comforting parent figure. Thus, the goal of achieving a comforting decor is defeated.
Regarding toddlers and older children, too much relief invites grasping and hanging on the wall ornament. As a result, the ornament must be arranged out of the child's reach or very securely fastened to the wall. This limits the placement and may require that the ornament be placed high up on a wall in an unattractive position above a bed, playpen or crib. The high placement can also remove the ornament from the typical lines of sight of the infant or smaller children, which inhibits the goal of creatively decorating the child's room for their visual stimulation.
Prior materials used in making three-dimensional wall ornaments had several drawbacks. Typically, the three dimensional wall ornaments have been made of wood, plaster, a vacuum-formed plastic material, fiberglass and the like. These materials, as is well known, are hardened and dense with the exception of the vacuum-formed plastic and fiberglass. The heavy weight of wood, plaster and other similar materials can endanger an infant or child if the ornament drops form the wall
The vacuum-formed plastic and fiberglass, on the other hand, can be lightweight but usually these materials are characterized as brittle, toxic or sharp when cut, broken or torn. Additionally, the manufacturing tolerance stack-ups involved in making objects via vacuum forming or glassing can result in a sloppy end product. The vacuum-formed product also has a reduced aesthetic value due to its translucent or transparent appearance and the required flashing which results. Additionally, the brittle nature of plastics used in vacuum forming can result in the infant or child breaking the ornament or, worse yet, cutting herself on a sharp edge or corner of the ornament. Similarly, fiberglass sculptures, which may be toxic, may also have sharp edges when manufactured or broken.
Thus, the materials previously utilized may cultivate discomfort among parents while cultivating a curious and creative mind of a child. The discomfort of the parent is based, in part, on the hard, heavy, toxic and possibly brittle or sharp, nature of the materials utilized in these decorations. These are not the types of materials a parent confidently utilized in decorating a room for their beloved child.